[Video] Slow Club - If We're Still Alive

Love. It's no secret that this album will be one of my top ten of the year.
Moshi Moshi - Slow Club - If We're Still Alive on MUZU.

Sharon Van Etten - Serpents

Sharon Van Etten is one of those 2012 albums we can all start counting down for, her last album left me and plenty of others wanting more. Her new album, Tramp, will be released on February 7th on Jagjaguar. This first single from it, "Serpents", has every bit of what you could hope for from Sharon Van Etten with her voice wrangling your every thought until you are completely immersed in the song. Have a listen.

Sharon Van Etten - Serpents

[Video] Hey Marseilles - Elegy

Yeah 2011 was great and there are so many albums to choose from for a year end list blah, blah, blah...What if I told you that I'm just really excited for First Aid Kit, Pickwick, Anna Ternheim and the ever wonderful Hey Marseilles albums coming out in 2012? Because that's all I can think about these days. Here's a fantastic video session with Hey Marseilles performing "Elegy" off their just released 7" which you should definitely buy because the B side might be even better. Is is too early to say cheers to 2012?

"Elegy" by Hey Marseilles from Look Sessions on Vimeo.

Thank You.

It was just a month ago that I was at a rest stop on the side of I-90 at 2 a.m. playing frisbee and passing around a bottle of rum with one of my favorite bands who was kindly letting me hitch a ride to New York for CMJ. If someone told me that's where music blogging would lead me when I started exactly two years ago to the day (yes it is the blog's birthday today), I never would have believed them. Lots of other exciting things have happened in the past month too; we threw a wildly successful and fun house show and finally started the beer and music blog I always wanted to have. It just keeps getting better and it's all thanks to the people I've met through this adventure that extends way past the confines of a computer with an internet connection. It's crazy to think that I wouldn't have this life or made some of these amazing friends, if it weren't for music blogging. 

I am incredibly grateful for everything that has come my way and I can't say thank you enough to the readers and supporters of the blog, it really is what keeps it going. None of this could be done without the bands who make the music we love, so make sure you give them the support they deserve. Thank you to everyone for making this the best hobby a girl could have. I dedicate this song to you:

Breakbot - Baby I'm Yours

I started this blog like many others have, not realizing that thousands of others "music blogged" and not expecting more than a few friends to read it. Over two years that all changed, but my reasons have stayed the same. I just want to share the music I like in hopes that people will listen, learn about new bands, and hopefully buy some music. That's it.

Love,
Jessica

P.S. You might have seen the new site, Brewery Sessions, and while I'm writing for that four days a week, NMC will still be here with different content from that of Brewery Sessions. Thanks to those that sent concerned emails about it, you're the best.

Damien Jurado - Nothing is the News

Damien Jurado has released his first single from his forthcoming album, Maraqopa, due out February 21st. There's not much else to say because it's new Damien Jurado and it's insanely good but probably not what you're expecting to hear. He's one of the few that has taken the mundane "folk" genre and pulled it and stretched it in every possible direction. He continues to evolve starting with this song.

Damien Jurado - Nothing is the News

Ohbijou - Niagara

Ohbijou, a Tornoto based band, released their sophomore album, Metal Meets, last month and has been getting a lot of spins around here. Part of the allure is lead singer Casey Mecija's youthful voice that you can't quite be described by words. I am certainly not the first, nor will I be the last, to say that this is a perfect fall album. It's cozy, warm, and something about the strong presence of strings feels autumnal. It's completely enchanting and worth checking out. Watch the beautiful black and white video for Niagara here.

Ohbijou - Niagara

Ohbijou - Anser

The Belle Game - Sleep to Grow

Definition of LYRICISM

1. the quality or state of being lyric : songfulness

2. a: an intense personal quality expressive of feeling or emotion in an art (as poetry or music)

    b: exuberance

Started off with a word of the day because lyricism is the foundation of all The Belle Game's songs (and I'm tired of seeing the word misused). When you really listen you'll hear an unrestrained joyfulness and that's what makes their music so potent. The Belle Game, a 7 piece band from Vancouver, is one of those indie-folk-rock-orchestral pop type bands that melt my heart. Think Hey Marseilles, Typhoon, Lost in the Trees kind of goodness. Layered instrumentation, musical saws, belting choruses all come together in "Sleep to Grow" and will have you playing the song on repeat if you're anything like me.

The Belle Game - Sleep to Grow

"You take a pull of the whiskey, lay your head back and say, “that sounds grand. Where will you take me now?” We’ll find dry land, with more people, we tell you. We’ll set up our instruments, make music and watch you all move to it.We’ll imagine some of you naked and loving it. Then we’ll pile back into our boat and do it all over again. Over and over…Because we love you." (from their website)

soundcloud // bandcamp // book of face

Buried in Bandcamp: King Melodies

People really liked the King Melodies "Fog over the Graveyard" that showed up on the halloween mix, which is pretty cool since it was just something I stumbled across during a bandcamp browsing session. King Melodies is a Swedish band that released their last EP, You Will Win, this past July on Ramberget Recordings. They have a new EP, Hang With Me, due out soon as well. You can download the EPs on a name your price basis. King Melodies lives up to the name with some catchy indie pop tunes worth checking out.

King Melodies - You Will Win

Bandcamp // Facebook // Label // Spotify

Slow Club - Paradise

I'm completely enamored with Slow Club. Even though I gushed about their most recent single, Two Cousins, I feel like I haven't adequately articulated this yet. It was the end of 2009, not very long ago, when I was getting into their music. Their latest album, Paradise, has taken them in a completely different direction and I love both sounds. I don't know how many bands you can say that about. To generalize, they went from twee folk-pop to a raucous indie rock-pop sound in a short two years (sorry for the genre blahs). It's a big change for a fan to hurdle, and it came without a transition EP, but Slow Club makes it easy by doing both so well. Have a listen to the two tracks below and hear the difference for yourself.

Slow Club - It Doesn't Have To Be Beautiful (from 2009's Yeah, So)

Slow Club - If We're Still Alive (from 2011's Paradise)

Watch the video for their single "Where I'm Waking"// Stream the albums on Spotify.

Coeur de Pirate - Wicked Games (Weeknd Cover)

Béatrice Martin is Coeur de Pirate of Montreal whose 2008 self-titled debut was widely successful. It came out when I was living in the french speaking part of Switzerland and it was all we heard on the radio and in the shops. We even had to write the lyrics to her songs in french class. I fell for that album and it led me into a world of french pop with which I'm still steadfastly obsessed. While she sings mainly in french she is bilingual and has done some great covers in english in the past.

The most recent cover is the song "Wicked Games" by the highly buzzed about Toronto group, Weeknd. What Coeur de Pirate usually sings is sweet, romantic, and innocent and this song is not at all PG. She simply plays the piano and sings lyrics like "let me motherf*ing love you" and somehow still sounds like her felicitous young self. The effect is not unlike when Anya Marina covered T.I.'s "Whatever you Want". It's easily one of the best covers of the year.

Coeur de Pirate - Wicked Games (Weeknd Cover)

Weeknd - Wicked Games 

Thanks to Chromewaves for this one. 

If you want to see what she sounds like singing in French, the lovely Wood & Wires filmed her singing at the piano for two songs from her new record, Blonde, which is out today. The songs are "Place de la République" and "Adieu". It's a gorgeous video. 

Cœur de Pirate- Wood & Wires Session from Adrian Vieni (Wood & Wires) on Vimeo

Mari Posa - Royaume A Stockholm

Photo by Thomas Lemoine

Mari Posa is a french singer and will release her first electro pop EP on November 21 on Yuk-Fü records. I have a soft spot for french pop and while I'm not a fan of the remixes (which you can download for free here), I do enjoy this first single. It's like a slightly calmer Yelle song. We all need some beats to get us through the week. You can stream the EP on facebook too. 
 MARI POSA - Royaume A Stockholm by Mari Posa 

Allo Darlin' - Wu Tang Clan

Allo Darlin' has completely stolen my heart, maybe it's because their detailed lyrics seem to draw some awkward outline of my own experiences. I played the absolute bejesus out of their 2010 self titled LP  this past summer. When they released their 7" in August I bought it as soon as possible and it's fair to say that they've become one of those bands whose releases I will always buy without hesitation. You can stream and buy these songs on bandcamp. While I'd love to tell you how these songs have been soundtracking my careless red wine fueled dance sessions for months, I think what the band wrote makes much more sense.

 Allo Darlin' - Darren
 Allo Darlin' - "Wu Tang Clan"

"In the spirit of "Henry Rollins Don't Dance", the band wanted to release something special on vinyl. This record is not being promoted anywhere and will only be available via our website or at our shows. Side A is a song called "Darren". It's about listening to records when you're embarking on a new romance. Side B is a song called "Wu Tang Clan". It was written by Darren Hayman and John Morrison when they were known as The French. This song is also about listening to records. This record is officially sanctioned by Darren Hayman. Of course."

Ben Howard - Under the Same Sun

Ben Howard's debut album, Every Kingdom, is one you should know about and not just because he's popular enough to have billboards around the UK. His voice, not unlike that of James Vincent McMorrow, set against the jangly guitars makes his music instantly likable if you have any tendency to lean towards the folk rock types. The hooks work really well in songs like "Old Pine", "Keep Your Head Up", and "Only Love" and usually involve speeding up the tempo and background vocals singing la la lahs, it's catchy but makes you want to skip through the slower ballads to get to the fun stuff that will have you involuntarily head bopping and tapping your toes. You'll also want to make sure to watch the ridiculous moves from street trials riding star Danny Macaskill has in this video soundtracked by Ben Howard's "The Wolves" as well.

Ben Howard - Under the Same Sun

 Ben Howard - "Keep Your Head Up"